showstopper

noun

show·​stop·​per ˈshō-ˌstä-pər 

1

: an act, song, or performer that wins applause so prolonged as to interrupt a performance

2

: something or someone exceptionally arresting or attractive

the gold crown was the showstopper of the exhibition

3

: one that stops or could stop the progress, operation, or functioning of something

showstopping

ˈshō-ˌstä-piŋ 

adjective

Synonyms

• babe [slang]
• cutie
• cutey
• dish
• doll
• dreamboat [slang]
• fox
• glamour-puss
• hottie
• knockout
• looker
• ten

Examples of showstopper in a Sentence

at the modeling agency everyone was a showstopper

Recent Examples on the Web

Read my full review on how this Nordic showstopper lives up to all its splendor. —Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2024

Another showstopper in the collection will be the Manchester tiara from 1903 that Consuelo, Dowager Duchess of Manchester, had ordered. —Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 10 Dec. 2024

Of course, not everything your child has to say is a showstopper. —Jeannette Moninger, Parents, 3 Dec. 2024

Latest News from Vulture overnights 22 mins ago The Great British Baking Show Season-Finale Recap: Hangin’ Tough After a great season of back-to-basics challenges, the producers concoct a doozy of a final showstopper. —Neil Janowitz, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1